Im Gespräch mit Heike Geißler: Verzweiflungen

A girl stands in front of the swimming instructor and begs to finally be allowed to join the advanced group. But she can only swim well at the edge of the pool without a leash. The teacher is merciless, the girl is desperate.
Thirty years later, Heike Geißler is an adult and still desperate - but determined to face up to this feeling: Where is the fault - in gender roles, heroism, militarization? What is missing? Where is the misanthropy still everywhere? In speech, in political action. In the state parliaments, not only in East Germany. It defends itself against right-wing extremism, hostile structures and unsustainable conditions. And is practising a new approach, a different perspective. To draw comfort and courage from it.

Heike Geißler, born in Riesa in 1977, is an author, translator, co-editor of the magazine series Lücken kann man lesen and co-founder of the intervention format Sabotique. She works with the actress Charlotte Puder as the collective George Bele. Heike Geißler has been awarded numerous grants and prizes and now lives in Leipzig.

Moderator: Emily Grunert (Head of Literaturbüro NRW)

An event in cooperation with the Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Rheinland and the Heine Haus Literaturhaus Düsseldorf